ponsaelius

This is a very good point, tbf.

Ashington aren't in the Northern League. Point stills stands though, admittedly.

Less than two weeks to go, keep expecting a flurry of activity and it's just been nowt.

Again the debate around building behind the existing stadium smack on top of Leazes Park is a non starter. Building on Castle Leazes, with maybe some encroachment onto the northern end of the park... then you might actually be talking. I still think if done right it could be transformative for the club, the park and the city. It's the best option to get started ASAP, have no disruption/temporary home and also be able to host Euro 2028 no problem. My only issue is I think stadium design is likely to be hideous and soulless based on current design trends. The options report is supposed to be imminent and they haven't settled on any of them yet - it will be subject to fan consultation/dialogue. However you'd think they have an idea what they're leaning towards.

Looks like Wolfsburg have signed a replacement for Lacroix, so would expect him to go to Palace soon. It's just a question probably of which CB Palace are going to sell.

I think with Schar and Burn both being 33 by the end of the season (and Botman/Lascelles injured to start the season) we do need somebody a few years on to reinforce the back line both immediately and for the next couple of years. Personally from what I've seen of Huijsen he's not there yet and won't be for a couple of years - but admittedly he may thrive in the PL given his stature. I do agree that Guehi is overpriced and have some doubts about his overall potential due to aerial ability - but I think looking at CBs at his age profile and career maturity is something we've simply had to do.

Exactly. If Schar was 4 years younger it would probably be the profile we went for (like with Osula). But we obviously want somebody who can be immediate first choice.

Huijsen is a good footballer with potential but I watched a lot of him last season for Roma and he had some serious clangers in him. To be expected given his age. He's a project player and will probably be worth significantly more in a few years. However it's clear we want somebody further on in their career in that position.

They have massively cut their wage structure under the new ownership, it's why they cut adrift the likes of Mount because of his demands. Most of their signings have been young players from other markets. But total wage bill will be high due to the sheer number of players they have on the books.

They'll want £65 mill upfront I reckon. It's too much, sack it off.

Yeah I'm grateful I've got me dodgy box so can still watch every game, but it's an absolute sickener that they're down to 2 Serie A games a week when previously everything was on.

You could easily keep emergency vehicle access along Strawberry Place if it involved a pedestrianised area adjacent to the ground. In fact you can usually improve emergency vehicle movement corridor by doing so. Unless you're meaning normal vehicle access?

The Ipswich rumour was definitely in the press at one point.

It's what they bought him for I think, so effectively saying anything which gives them a book profit they'd take.

Elliot Anderson winner towards the end of a drab transfer window

For fucks sake man

This is fast becoming the most mind numbing transfer window in a long time

Agreed. It's why I'm more in favour of a salary cap (that you can't just get out of via loaning players out) than I am the FFP we've currently got. FFP is encouraging player hoarding and speculative recruitment on an enormous scale, and clubs with the resources to do so are able to reinforce the established hierarchy by effectively controlling the supply and demand of talent in the transfer market.

We probably should have sold Trippier in January as well to be honest. However given his output last year (and throughout most of his time here) I'd say we should be taking any actual fee for Almiron and finding a replacement. Our recruitment has generally been very good since the takeover, but I think our overall squad management and selling isn't as anywhere near as calculated as it should be.

Yes. Just like we have/will with others once they hit 30. Our inability to be ruthless and move players on is one of the things most clearly holding us back.

We'll end up selling him for less.

The budget is there to replace him, we're just not doing it because we can't shift him and we can't carry three right wingers. Any fee we get would effectively allow us to sign a younger replacement. If we don't sell him now he's another 30 year old we will allow to leave for nowt (along with Wilson and Trippier probably). We just can't keep doing this, we have to renew the squad.

We don't need to make big money. Anything we get is profit at this point because he's been here so long. We have to stop letting players run down their value to nothing. Take the fee and buy a long overdue replacement.

Barnet slander reeks of jealousy I'm afraid. Superb hairline for a 59 year old fella.